Hyden House · National Register of Historic Places
Alcester’s story
Alcester in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →AlcesterSD
A town of 989. Public schools that outperform most of South Dakota.
Population
989
+1.6% since 2010
Median home value
$126K
Census ACS
Household income
$57K
median
Median age
44.4
years
Jobs based here
355
Balanced
What makes Alcester stand out
The thing Alcester does most differently from other towns.
Small town
989 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Alcester’s report card
Now in Alcester
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Alcester? Is a C for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Alcester’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →43°
Clear
H 64° · L 49°
Local news
All →- UPDATE: Alcester city-wide water shutdown postponed to MondayDakota News Now · Jul 23
- Surrounding communities donate water to Alcester residents during boil advisoryKTIV · Jul 23
- UPDATE: Alcester boil order lifted, city-wide water shutdown scheduled for FridayDakota News Now · Jul 22
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Alcester. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Alcester’s public schools outperform 31% of South Dakota districts
The public schools Alcester’s kids attend trail 69% of South Dakota’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
CSchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcester-Hudson Elementary - 04 | K–6 | 166 | C+ |
| Alcester-Hudson Jr. High - 03 | 7–8 | 53 | C |
| Alcester-Hudson High School - 01 | 9–12 | 99 | B |
| Alcester-Hudson Preschool - 05 | PK | 33 | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SD on state testsAll 4 schools →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Alcester has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 31 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–30°
Spring36–58°
Summer60–82°
Fall38–60°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Alcester
Most working residents leave Alcester for work: only 9% work in town. The top destinations are Sioux Falls (26%), Beresford (18%) and Sioux City (4%). Half commute less than 33 miles.
9%work in town
Where working residents work
In Alcester9%
Sioux Falls26%
Beresford18%
Sioux City4%
Yankton3%
33 mi
median commute distance
355
jobs based in Alcester
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
How healthy Alcester is
Alcester beats the South Dakota average on 4 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 6.
26 measures vs. South Dakota
4 better16 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Alcester | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 15.5% | 18.8% |
| Fewer adults in frequent mental distress | 13.3% | 15.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.6% | 9.2% |
Hawarden Regional Healthcare
7.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 41% of U.S. communities.
41risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Housing
Homes in Alcester sell for about $95K
The median sale price was $95,000 in May 2026.
$95Kmedian sale price
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
About Alcester
City in South Dakota, United States
Alcester is a city in northern Union County, South Dakota, United States. It is part of the Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 820 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 820
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,375 ft
- ZIP code
- 57001
- Area code
- 605